An easy recipe with seasoned ground chicken, bell pepper, onion, rice, and shredded cheese rolled into burritos and toasted until crispy on the outside. This recipe makes four burritos.
Add this one to the list of easy weeknight dinners – we’ve been coming up with a lotttt of those lately! They also seem to all be in the Tex-Mex lane, so hopefully you’re into that, too. 💁♀️ These are a little spicy (made with fresh jalapeño), but you can make a mild version if you prefer to leave out that part.
This ground chicken and rice burrito recipe is designed to make four burritos, so it makes a little more than my typical small batch recipes. If you’re not feeling the burrito thing that much, you could totally eat the chicken filling on its own, add some cauliflower rice to make it a rice bowl situation, toss it with some crunchy lettuce for a salad, or throw it on top of a tostada with some creamy refried beans to switch it up a little. Your call! You’ll have about 2 1/2 cups of filling to use however you want.
These chicken and rice burritos can be customizable. Want more protein? Add some black beans, or more chicken. Stir in some sour cream or Greek yogurt for a creamier filling. Add some cilantro for an extra kick of flavor. Do whatever you love with it, but here are the base ingredients to start with:
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Avocado Oil (or Olive Oil)
- 8 oz. Ground Chicken
- 1/2 cup chopped Red Bell Pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped White Onion
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped Jalapeño Pepper (optional)
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt (or Sea Salt, plus more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1 cup Cooked White Rice
- 1/4 cup Salsa Verde (or your favorite salsa)
- 1 tbsp. Chipotle Sauce
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 4 Extra Large (Burrito-Sized) Flour Tortillas
Ingredient Notes + FAQs
Ground Chicken can be substituted with ground turkey or lean ground beef.
Red Bell Pepper is a little sweeter than green bell pepper, so it pairs well with the spicy jalapeño and chipotle sauce in these burritos. If you prefer green bell pepper, use it! If you hate bell peppers, just leave it out.
White Onion and yellow onion both work here.
Cooked White Rice and cooked brown rice work here, too.
Salsa Verde can be substituted with your favorite red salsa, or even green chiles. Trader Joe’s makes a good salsa verde! At a typical grocery store, you’ll see Herdez Salsa Verde – it’s great. Use it.
Chipotle Sauce is typically in the Tex-Mex / Hispanic aisle. If you can’t find it, grab a little can of chipotles in adobo, and finely chop them to use in place of the chipotle sauce. Or if you can spoon a tablespoon of the sauce out of a can of chipotles in adobo, that works too! Taste it first though – sometimes it can be pretty hot. Use as much or as little as you prefer here.
How to Make Cheesy Ground Chicken and Rice Burritos
Step One: Cook the Ground Chicken and Vegetables. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ground chicken, chopped bell peppers, chopped onions, and chopped jalapeño. Add a pinch of salt, and cook for 7-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are softened. Break the chicken into small pieces as it cooks so it will evenly mix into the chopped veggies.
Step Two: Add Seasonings. Stir the garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and ground cumin into the chicken and vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the seasonings and really bring out their flavor.
Step Three: Add Filling and Flavor. Add the cooked rice, salsa verde, and chipotle sauce to the skillet. Stir to evenly combine everything, then taste and season with more salt if needed. Turn the heat off from beneath the pan.
Step Five: Build and Toast the Burritos. Lay one extra large flour tortilla out onto a flat surface. Spread 1/4 cup of shredded cheese down the center of the tortilla, then top the cheese with a heaping 1/2 cup of the chicken filling. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the chicken filling, then fold the sides of the tortilla inward, and roll it up into a burrito. Toast the burrito, seam side down to start, in a nonstick pan over medium heat. (I typically toast the bottom and the top of the burrito).
Serve and Enjoy! You could totally dip these into sour cream, salsa, or guacamole if you’re feeling it! Otherwise, serve them with a side of creamy refried beans, spicy smashed black beans, or your favorite chips and salsa.
This recipe is a weeknight lifesaver: quick to make, endlessly customizable, and perfect for using up pantry staples. You can make one of these for a cozy solo dinner, then save the rest for easy lunches or dinners throughout the week. These burritos are a minimal effort and maximum flavor type of situation!
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to switch things up based on what you have on hand. Add black beans for extra protein and filling, stir in a spoonful of green chiles for an extra kick, a few chopped green onions for a bright pop, or top it off with fresh avocado for a creamy finish. And if you’re meal prepping? These burritos freeze beautifully, making them a grab-and-go option for busy days. You can even spoon the filling over more rice to make these a ground chicken rice bowl type of situation.
I can’t leave you without recommending a couple of margarita recipes to enjoy with these burritos, too! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Blueberry Cilantro Margaritas
- Spicy Pineapple Margaritas
- Fresh Strawberry Margaritas
- Classic Skinny Margaritas
- Skinny Blackberry Margaritas
How to Store Leftovers
In the Refrigerator (up to 4 days): Let the burritos cool completely to room temperature (to prevent sogginess), then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
In the Freezer (up to 3 months): Let the burritos cool completely to room temperature. Wrap each burrito individually in a layer of plastic wrap or wax paper, then a layer of foil. (This double wrap protects against freezer burn.) Place the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or container. Write the date on them so you know when you should eat them!
How to Reheat
- Microwave Method: Wrap the burritos individually in a damp paper towel. Microwave for about a minute, flipping the burrito halfway through.
- Oven Method: Bake on a small rimmed baking sheet at 350°F for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
If you want to make more than four burritos, there is a little slider bar in the recipe card below (near “servings”). Slide that bar to adjust the amount you want to make, and the ingredients will automatically adjust for you.
If you make this chicken and rice burrito recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.
xx Sara
Cheesy Ground Chicken and Rice Burritos
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Avocado Oil or Olive Oil
- 8 oz. Ground Chicken
- 1/2 cup chopped Red Bell Pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped White Onion
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped Jalapeño Pepper optional
- 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp. Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt or 1/4 tsp. Sea Salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin
- 1 cup Cooked Rice
- 1/4 cup Salsa Verde or your favorite salsa
- 1 tbsp. Chipotle Sauce
- 1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1 cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 4 Extra Large Flour Tortillas burrito-sized
Instructions
- Cook the Ground Chicken and Vegetables. Heat 1 tbsp. Avocado Oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add 8 oz. Ground Chicken, 1/2 cup chopped Red Bell Pepper, 1/3 cup chopped White Onion, and 1 tbsp. finely chopped Jalapeño Pepper. Add a pinch of salt, and cook for 7-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are softened. Break the chicken into small pieces as it cooks so it will evenly mix into the chopped veggies.
- Add Seasonings. Stir 1 tsp. Garlic Powder, 1 tsp. Chili Powder, 1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt, and 1/2 tsp. Ground Cumin into the chicken and vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the seasonings and really bring out their flavor.
- Add Filling and Flavor. Add 1 cup Cooked Rice, 1/4 cup Salsa Verde, and 1 tbsp. Chipotle Sauce to the skillet. Stir to evenly combine everything, then taste and season with more salt if needed. Turn the heat off from beneath the pan.
- Build and Toast the Burritos. Lay one extra large flour tortilla out onto a flat surface. Spread 1/4 cup of shredded cheese down the center of the tortilla, then top the cheese with a heaping 1/2 cup of the chicken filling. Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the chicken filling, then fold the sides of the tortilla inward, and roll it up into a burrito. Toast the burrito, seam side down to start, in a nonstick pan over medium heat. (I typically toast the bottom and the top of the burrito).
- Serve and Enjoy! You could totally dip these into sour cream, salsa, or guacamole if you’re feeling it! Otherwise, serve them with a side of creamy refried beans or your favorite chips and salsa.
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Ma’am. Look, listen.
You did NOT have to go this hard with this recipe. When I tell you that this is INCREDIBLE?! Gurl. You did that.
I’m currently staring at the last half of my SECOND burrito, knowing I over-ate but will finish this sucker. I loved it. My husband loved it. Its officially in the dinner rotation. I made homemade tortillas to go with this and…oh my God.
Thank you for sharing and giving me options for future dinners. I adore this recipe and you. Thank you!
Holly, this is literally the best comment I’ve ever read! 🤣 Thank you SO MUCH for making these, and I seriously cannot even tell you how insanely happy you made me with this!! Homemade tortillas are a next level move, and I absolutely adore YOU for not only make those, and making these sweet little burritos, but for also taking the time to be such an amazing human and leave the most wonderful comment ever. Thank YOU! 🙏
I am sold on this recipe just by your comment and I didn’t even make it yet!! Hahah
really good- made these 3 times in 2 weeks. didn’t have the jalapeno or chipotle sauce, so used canned green chili’s, canned pink beans and small can of tomato sauce. definitely a Keeper Recipe!
Excellent. The flavor of the meat, veggies and rice are enough to make me want to scoop it from the pan. Thank you!
Haha that is the BEST compliment, Rhiannon!! Thank you so much for making them!
This was a hit with the kids and adults. Super quick and easy and definitely going in our rotation .